District Zero
by TheBman10119
Summary: He snarled, shoving me against the wall and holding me there by my collar. I tense all my muscles, prepared to fight him. But what he did next is something I never would have expected, least of all from him.
1. The Reaping

**Hi everyone! So, reviews are deffinetly welcome! I could really use some :(. also, i dont own the Hunger Games, bla bla bla, who wouldve guessed THAT one?**

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><p>I jump out of bed, grabbing my knife as I go, startled awake by the crash in the kitchen. I bound through the door to see my aunt, looking quite flustered, and dishes all over the floor.<p>

"Dante! I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you." She says with a sheepish smile, ignoring the knife in my hand. "Nervous for Liam?" I ask, putting the knife down and helping her gather the dishes. Liam is my cousin, and yesterday was his thirteenth birthday, and today is the first reaping our district will have faced. District Zero was established after the Dark Days, the only district that wasn't required to compete in the Hunger Games. We were the center of research and development for all of the Capitols more dangerous weapons and the Mutts used in the Dark Days and now the games. "Yes. I know it's ridiculous, I mean he will have so few entries. But he's too young." She says. I nod in agreement. "Before the reaping me and the others are having a meeting. I'll see you both at the reaping." I say, remembering my plans. I go and quickly dress in jeans, a black t shirt, and my black and red leather jacket my father left behind.

"This is all our fault! Zero would just be getting ready to watch the Reaping's if it wasn't for us!" One of the girls in our group of six, three guys and three girls snaps angrily in our debate in one of the abandoned buildings in the vast city that is District Zero. "It doesn't matter. We didn't make the kills Snow ordered us to. That's that." Lizbeth responds. "Will you all shut up! We're supposed to be deciding who will volunteer!" I growl, shooting dirty looks around the room. We six are the last remaining operatives of Ghost program, the Capitols special weapons assassination group. We were raised to kill, to survive, and to protect Panem's capitol. So, if anyone in Zero had a chance of surviving the Games, it would be one of our group. "I think the boy tribute should be YOU Dante, since you're the reason we are being forced to compete in the games anyway." Collin, one of the others sneers. "I don't care. I wasn't about to murder an innocent family because they were visiting a target!" I snarl back, clenching my fists. "This isn't getting us anywhere! I intend to volunteer as the female tribute. And we all know Dante is going to volunteer for the male tribute, he's always been the best of us. So, can we all get going? City square is probably filling up and I hate showing up late for a party." Liz said, looking at me. I blush, feeling the heat flood to my ears from her compliment.

That afternoon we all congregated in the main square of district zero, watching the videos the other districts were forced to one reaping day.

"This is quite a memorable day! Today marks the first reaping of district zero in the Hunger Games! And, this is the day the rest of Panem learns that we exist. So, who will be chosen to represent us for the first time, in the seventy fourth Hunger Games?" The mayor says happily, forced by the panic in his eyes, then looks to some woman from the capitol that looks disturbing and grotesque. She has olive green skin, with yellow tattoos all over her face, and electric pink hair that hurts my eyes to look at.

"Ladies first!" She calls, but before her hand can even plunge into the ball with the slips of paper in it I hear Liz shout beside me, "I volunteer as tribute!" I turn my head subtly to look at her. She has pale white skin, just like myself and the others in our group, her raven black curls always looking like she had just spent the last two hours working on her hair. She was clad in tight jeans and a navy blue tank top.

"Marvelous! So eager to be the first to represent district zero!" the hideous woman says as Liz ascends the stairs of the platform. "Now the boys!" The woman adds, eagerly reaching into the glass ball and pulling out a slip of paper. I wait, wanting to know the name of the boy who would be competing if not for me. "Let's see. Liam Storm!" she calls.

"I volunteer as tribute!" I yell out, pushing my way up to the stage. I ascend the stage, jumping straight up to the platform, skipping the six steps Liz used. "Another volunteer! Amazing! What are your names?" the enormous lady asks. "Lizbeth Mclair." Liz says with a mischievous smile my way. "Dante Storm." I say, glancing out at the crowd, where I see my aunt comforting a sobbing Liam. "And is there any relation between you and Liam Storm?" The lady asks. What is she, as dumb as a mailbox? "Yes, he's my cousin." I say. The lady calls for a round of applause, but everyone ignores her. I see the other four from our group salute me and Liz, and then we are being taken into the justice building.

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><p><strong>Thus ends the first chapter of District Zero. so Review, tell me what you think, and any ideas on how you would like to see the charactersstory evolve. After all, the best entertainment is the one you can help influence! Tata for now!**

**Bman**


	2. Farewells and Trains

**Now starts the second chapter of District zero! (I wrote both chapters while waiting for my 2 day delay to expire. wasnt fun waiting =/) anyway, i dont own The hunger games, bla bla bla. Read, review, sell your soul for the next chapter, enjoy! o.O**

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><p>I get ushered by a group of peacekeepers into a plush lounge style room, very classically designed, which feels out of place in our district full of sleek modern designs. The first people to come and visit me are my aunt and my cousin. "Dante!" Liam squeals, running up and giving me a big hug. "Dante, please don't go!" he cries into my pant leg. I grin at his mother, who silently mouths a thank you.<p>

"Don't worry kiddo, it's just like being sent on another long assignment. I'll be back before you know it. But will you do me a favor?" I ask him, waiting for him to look up at me. "What's that?" He asks. "Make sure the car is nice and clean. I'm going to teach you to drive it when I get back." His face lights up at the idea. "You're going to teach me to drive your car! Oh my gosh you get going and hurry back!" Liam squeals in joy. I brought the thing back with me from one of my first assignments in japan, when I was his age. Gosh, that was almost four years ago now. It was the envy of all in district zero, a relic car from long ago. It's called the Nissan GTR R35. Soon the peacekeepers come and lead me to a plush train where Liz is already waiting for me, with none other than our trainer, Ken. "Who would've guessed you two would volunteer to be in the games. Oh, wait, everyone who helped train you. We actually had a bet running on who from the program would volunteer." Ken says with a smile as we all board the train and sit down to watch the other reaping's. "Snow is going to throw a fit that you volunteered Dante." Ken chuckles, and I grin mischievously. "I know." I reply. We watch the reaping's. District one, a girl named Glimmer and a boy named Marvel volunteer. They're both fit, being from a career district. Then there's Cato and Clove from district 2. Cato is huge, tall and cut like an ox. He looks to be about four inches taller than me. "Think I could take him?" I ask sarcastically. "Under normal circumstances? Probably not. But you two have been trained almost from birth for fighting and survival, plus you both had a few enhancements from Zero's wonderful gene mutating programs. So as it stands now, I honestly feel bad for the poor bastard." Ken says. It's true. We were exposed to enhancements to make us better weapons for the Capitol. We can recover from wounds that would in general be fatal to anyone else, we are faster and stronger than a majority of the population, even though our sizes wouldn't give that away. Now, strip us down and it'd be obvious. Our bodies are perfectly sculpted and show off every muscle. We're practically shoo-ins for large amounts of sponsors.

The only other tributes that catch my eye are those from eleven and twelve. "No matter what, I'm protecting that girl from 11." I whisper to myself. I get off the couch and walk to my room on the train. I walk into the bathroom, turning on the radio as I go, and get into the shower, which I set to the hottest setting available.

Liz and I sit at the dinner table and stuff ourselves with the amazing foods from the capitol. We're so used to scraping by on iron rations, scavenged foods from wilderness missions, and the crap from our district that the meal amazes us both. "So, the games are going to be a lot different than what you two are used to. No firearms, everyone will be expecting you to be trying to kill them, and I can almost guarantee Snow has told the Gamemakers to make it harder on you as far as getting kills." Ken says casually. I nod, still more focused on my food than him. "Plus, you have to think. The two biggest threats out there will be you. And only one of you gets to come back." He points out. Shit! I hadn't thought of that. Liz and I have known each other our whole lives, we trained together, and we saved one another countless times out in the field. And now one of us might be faced with killing the other. "When it comes to that, I say we don't do any tricks. We fight it out with dignity, and whoever wins gives the other a good, clean death." Liz says, looking me in the eyes. I nod in agreement, then excuse myself and go to my room. Can I really kill her? I don't know if I would be able to do it. Damn this game.

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><p><strong>Ok, chapter 2 is done, tell me what you think! also, tell me who you think Dante should fall in love with! should he chase Liz, Cato, Peeta, Katniss, or maybe someone else? (I really hope you all dont ask for me to have him go after Katniss, she has to many boys chasing her. Just saying.) anyway, have fun and review!<strong>

**Bman**


	3. Capitol Parades

**Okay, third chapter here we go! please review! and let me know who you think should be Dante's romantic interest! Anyway, enjoy! **

**P.S. I dont own the Hunger games.**

**P.P.S. I could really use some reviews! just saying!**

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><p>The next morning we arrived at the capitol. I stepped out of the train next to Liz, and automatically had to squint from the flashing of so many cameras and people assembled asking us questions.<p>

"What is district zero like? What do you do there? Why haven't we heard of you before?" all pass through my ears as we are rushed into the remake center. Liz gets led off to some other room while I have a team of three of the weirdest people I think I've ever seen strip me of my clothes and shove me into a bath tub full of a vile smelling concoction.

"Your clothes will be sent to your room at the training center. I don't know WHY you would want to keep them, sooooo outdated." The only guy of the three says. They all have purple hair, and a soft pink colored skin. I find out their names are Hana, Pona, and Octavier. They spend a vast majority of the morning removing what little body hair I had, to my dismay, then they spent at least an hour styling my hair, which I keep in short brown messy spikes because usually it takes mere seconds to style. But no, apparently not. Then they spent the rest of their time ogling my body, I'm not sure if they were more interested in the fact that I had an insanely well-defined body, or if they found the black and blue tribal tattoos that covered the right side of my upper body down to my wrist nice. Then my stylist, a Lady name Tralina, came in, and to my joy she looked normal.

"Oh my. I didn't realize your district would make such attractive specimen. Even Finnick Odair couldn't compete with your attractiveness." She said. "I LOVE the tattoo. I think we should add some of the blue into your hair, it will really make you stick out." She added, then presumed to add the dark blue streaks into my hair. "Perfect. Now, as far as your entrance costume, my partner who is with Lizbeth and I have decided to use your districts special weapons and forces area as inspiration. And with your body you will be a hit!" She said with a devilish grin. _Oh god, she's going to have done something insane._ I think as she pulls out some clothes.

I slowly walk out of the elevator into a room with chariots and some of the other tributes, hating the outfit Tralina had dressed me in. I was in a simple black speedo, with combat boots, a hip holster holding a fake gun, and a bandolier around my chest. Liz walked out of a nearby elevator wearing nearly the same thing, a black bikini suit, with a bandolier of ammo around her chest, combat boots, but she was carrying a full sized missile launcher. "Really? Can I PLEASE have the missile launcher?" I beg as she walks up, grinning. "No way! You need to show off your feminine side." She replied, sauntering up into our chariot. "Your ass looks really good in that speedo, Dante. All the career tributes were looking." She added. I blushed, humiliated by the lack of clothing. "Give me the missile launcher!" I growl, grabbing it and fighting over it. "Get your own!" Liz snapped, flicking me in the forehead. I scowl as the doors open and the parade starts, with us in the lead. I see myself on a large screen, leaving nothing to the imagination, but see all the Capitol citizens going wild over our bodies. At least we have something worth showing off. Then all the attention is off of us as the district twelve tributes ride out in flames. Not one to be upstaged, Liz pulled the trigger of the missile launcher, which shot firework into the air, which exploded into a bright green and blue display of sparks.

After the parade, we all walk into the training center and get on elevators, going to the levels that hold each districts quarters.

"Good show you two." Ken says, wolf whistling as we walk into the main room. I grab a plateful of random food, then storm off to one of the bedrooms. I inhale the food, take a long relaxing shower, and head to bed.


	4. Training Day 1

**I could really use some reviews! I want to know who you think should become the love interest for Dante! Please people? =) ok heres chapter 4, and again I dont own the hunger games. enjoy!**

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><p><em>I walk through the mansion in silence, listening for any signs of life. As I make my way to the room where I know my target is in, I get this tingle at the back of my skull. Quickly, I kick open the door and fire three rounds, one into the target, and two into his body guards. My ears ring from the sounds of gunshots, and the screams.<em>

"_Daddy!" a little girl, not quite six yet, screams. She runs over to her father, who is bleeding profusely from the gunshot wound in his chest, and starts crying. "Why did you shoot him? Why did you kill my daddy?" She wails, looking at me. I drop my gun in horror and back out of the room._

I wake from the dream with a start, my body covered in cold sweat. My muscles feel as if they're on fire, burning right off my body.

"No, not now!" I tell myself, stumbling out of my bed and down to the main rooms of our quarters. I start destroying the kitchen space, looking for the one thing that can stop the burning, stop the pain.

"Dante, what are you doing?" Liz asks as she walks in, still half asleep. She sees the look in my eyes and she knows. "Ken!" she yells, as our Mentor rushes into the room.

"He needs caffeine! NOW!" Liz screams, as I crash to the ground, writhing in agony as I burn alive. After what feels like an eternity, someone is forcing pills into my mouth. I wait, still as can be, while the pain slowly leaves my body. After the alterations were made to us, we found we would randomly enter stages of incapacitating pain, where our bodies would feel as if we were being burned alive. Almost a dozen of our group died before we found the cure. Caffeine. The pain will randomly start up, and slowly get worse until we get some of the substance into our system. It can get so bad that we become completely paralyzed by the pain. I really hope it doesn't start up during the Games. That would be a death sentence.

A few hours later, we were all assembled at the breakfast table, Liz and I eating as Ken and the escort lady, Dubelia, explained what would take place during the next two weeks before the games. "You'll be given the first four mornings to train in the training room with the others. The afternoons will be considered free time, for you to explore the building and socialize with the other tributes. On the fifth day you'll all have your individual training sessions, and that night you will all receive your scores. On day six we will train for interviews. Day seven the morning will be spent prepping for interviews, and the night you will all have your interviews with Caesar Flickerman. The second week will be dedicated to socializing with the other tributes, touring the city, and going to a few parties. And during that week you may or may not get pulled aside by different crews to interview you, so the viewers can get to know tributes and their districts." Dubelia said excitedly.

"Great, lets become friends with one another so in two weeks it'll be harder to kill one another. I have a feeling that was designed for better entertainment values." I mumble as I nudge my food around on my plate. My muscles are still sore from the episode a few hours ago. Ken and Dubelia shoot me looks telling me to shut up, but Liz just laughs.

At ten, Liz and I head down to the training room, dressed in black and red rash guard type shirts and track pants. I've always hated track pants, the way they swish when you move drives me insane. We arrive at the training room and find everyone already there. The girl from district one, Glimmer if I recall right, is checking me out and biting her lip, whereas Marvel is glaring at me. "Looks like you've got an admirer." Liz whispers in my ear, raising Goosebumps on my arms. My ears are really sensitive. The head trainer explains the rules, how we can't hurt one another in a lasting fashion but otherwise enjoy training and try to master as many skills as possible. The careers all rush for the weapons, and everyone else seems to scatter. There seem to be two groups, the careers, and the district twelve tributes. Everyone else has gone off on their own. "Do we stick together or split up?" I ask Liz, who I see is already gone joining in with the careers. I pick random stations and join in, making all of the trainers happy by actually listening to them and showing an interest in their stations. I even managed to teach the net making trainer a new knot that uses less rope, allowing for a bigger net. She was overjoyed at the new system.

Finally we are all dismissed into the cafeteria for lunch, and Liz skips up to me happily. "Enjoy making friends." I comment snidely. She giggles and nods. "Glimmer and Clove think you're really hot and want you to join the careers. Marvel said he'd work with you when pigs fly, and I haven't quite figured out about Cato. He looks at you a lot, can't tell if he's checking you out or deciding when to kill you." I scowl and blush, causing her to laugh even more. She goes off and sits with the careers, which I subtly watch and see she's right. They do look at me quite a lot. I sit down by myself and start eating my meal, actually enjoying it. The people of the capitol know how to cook, which is really nice. A good change from the researchers in Zero. We were lucky if someone looked up from their work long enough to think about food. Everyone always ended up fending for themselves, and I'll be the first to admit that I am a lousy cook. About halfway through my meal I hear the whiz of something flying through the air and immediately ducked. Just in time too, if I hadn't a metal spoon would've hit me square in the forehead. I look up to see all the careers laughing and Clove smile and blow me a kiss. I pretended to grab it from the air and slapped it against my ass, which made her glare at me and sent the rest of the careers into hysterical bouts of laughter. I turn in the empty tray and walk out the door, but not before turning around and blowing a kiss at the careers table, and sending them a cocky smile with a wink. At least it looked like I was going to have fun these next two weeks.

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><p><strong>Ok, pretty please send some reviews ladies and gentlemen! i hope you enjoyed this chapter!<strong>


	5. Game Night

**Heres chapter 5! Enjoy! P.S. Again, me no own the Hunger Games.**

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><p>"What are you doing! Its Game night! Get to the recreation room!" Dubelia screamed shrilly at me, chasing me out of the room with a throw pillow from the couch. "I thought it was supposed to be free time! And it's only like three in the afternoon!" ii yelped. What the hell was in the pillow, bricks? I wandered around the building looking for the rec room and finally found it. I walked in to find all the other tributes there, scattered into groups of four or five playing different games.<p>

"Dante! Took you long enough!" Liz said, waving me over to where her, Clove, Cato, and Glimmer were seated around a mat with a bunch of colored dots on it. "What game is this supposed to be?" I wonder as I plop down on the ground next to them. "This is Twister. The person who has the spinner spins it, and whatever the arrow points to we have to do. So if it says left hand green we all put our left hand on green. But if you fall or can't touch the dot you lose. And you can't leave a dot once you're on it till that limb gets sent to a new dot." Glimmer said, batting her eyelashes at me. Clove rolled her eyes and Cato had a frown fixed to his face. "I call the spinner!" Liz said quickly, grabbing the piece of cardboard. She spun it, the first dot being left hand green, which made us all laugh a little, as we touched different dots. Fast forward five more turns, and the four of us are tied up in an extremely awkward position. Clove's face was almost touching Cato's bum, who had his face near Glimmer's chest, and her face was in my crotch as I was in a very uncomfortable table position. Around that time, all the other tributes stopped playing their games and came to our area to watch and laugh. "You all sure found out how to have some fun." Peeta said, laughing. "Left foot blue." Liza called out, as we all groaned and moved. "Hurry up and spin! I'm going to fall!" Clove squealed as she toppled over. Thresh let out a loud guffaw, which sent the rest of the room into bouts of their own laughter as he blushed from his embarrassing noise. Liz called out the next move, which sent me flipping one of my legs over Cato and through Glimmers arm, a move I doubted I was flexible enough to pull off, but I managed it. "Damn! You're limber." Glimmer said, licking her lips seductively. "Thanks." I blushed. Two more turns and she fell over, pushing Cato off the mat with her. "Dante wins!" Liz said, to a round of applause from the other tributes, save Glimmer who was standing back up, and Cato, who was glaring at her. We switched stations, our group moving over to a charades area as Katniss, Peeta, Rue, and Thresh started playing the Twister game. Cato and I teamed up against Glimmer and Clove, with Liz being our "judge". More like an annoying jerk who teased all of our poor acting skills.

That night I found myself relaxing in the living room of our space, surfing the channels on the T.V., when Liz walked in. "So. Cato has joined the ranks of tributes who want you." She laughed, leaping over the back of the couch and sitting next to me. "And I should care why?" I say simply, looking for something on that doesn't involve the Games. "Because he is TOTALLY your type." She said, hitting me with the pillow. What is with girls and pillows? "No he's not!" I say, scowling as I feel my face start blushing just ever so slightly. "The whole team figured it out like three years ago. The fact that you never have a date, I mean you flirt with like everyone, but you NEVER take it anywhere. Which is ridiculous since everyone wants you! You're probably the hottest guy in Panem. Just admit that you're gay." She says. "I'm not gay!" I snap, glaring at her. "Then why do you check out Cato all the time?" she asks, a look of victory on her face. "Because I'm Bi dummy. Besides it doesn't matter. We are all going into the Games to KILL one another, it's going to be hard enough trying to kill YOU. I don't want to try getting with another tribute and end up in love, then be unable to kill them. I have to go back home, for my aunt and Liam." I whisper hotly. "And your mother…" Liz mumbled. "Yeah, right. Because Snow will definitely give her back. She's already dead and we both know it. He's just holding her above me to keep me under control." I say, tears sliding down my face. I drop the remote and storm off to my room, slamming the door behind me.

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><p><strong>So, I decided who I think should be Dante's romance =P i got impatient waiting for people to tell me who they want as the romance. anyway, people should totally review please! thanks!<strong>

**Bman**


	6. Pool Party!

**Yay! I got two reviews! I'm happy. anyway, had to reupload chapter 5 because it wasnt showing up. so here's chapter six!**

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><p><em>I'm five again, sitting in the room playing with my toy model cars I made with my dad. He's in the kitchen cooking, and mom is out visiting my aunt. There's a bang on the door and then its thrown open, peacekeepers rushing in and grabbing my father.<em>

"_NO! I told you, my son won't be a part of your sick experiments anymore!" My dad yells at the scientist who is accompanied by the peacekeepers. "That's too bad Mr. Storm. We could have used you in our research." The man said, pulling out a gun and shooting my dad in the chest three times. "Daddy!" I yell, running to my father. But before I could get to him one of the peacekeepers grabs me and caries me out the door._

I wake up again, panting from the nightmare. I dress in my training gear and head downstairs, where I find Liz already eating breakfast. "Couldn't sleep either?" I ask her, sitting down. "No. Nightmares." She responded, not looking up from her food. "Same." Neither of us asks for details. We already know the basics of it. Someone died. Someone always dies. "You know, I don't ever remember the others having nightmares." I say, breaking our silence. "It's because they enjoy killing. We may be the best, but we are still technically failures to the program." She responds, giving me a lopsided grin. She knows I hate failing, even though this is something I am ok with, I still hate being the so called failure. Ridiculous, I know. "Well, didn't we get some early birds!" Dubelia said ecstatically, walking into the room. "Yeah, we were just soooo excited to go to training today." I rolled my eyes, my voice dripping with sarcasm. Dubelia just glistened at the idea of tributes who want to train, my sarcasm lost on her.

Training started off with Liz dragging me along to the career group, who were assembled at the knife station practicing throwing skills. "I told them you love knives." Liz said mischievously, knowing I would get upset that she would give away one of my tactical advantages. That saying about how a picture speaks a thousand words? I think the word picture was secretly code for women. I've yet to meet one who can keep secrets. We walk up just in time to get pulled into a trick throwing contest, using a HORSE style system. The first ones out are Marvel and Glimmer, followed by Liz. Cato, Clove, and I keep getting progressively more difficult until finally it's my turn to make the trick. I smirk when I come up with the idea. It's either going to fail miserably, or awe everyone else. I really hope for the second one. I blindfold myself, and spin around five times really fast, then throw the knife and hear several gasps and the muffled noise of the blade digging into the wooden target. I lift the blindfold and thank whatever god is out there that I managed the bull's eye. Its slightly off center, but who cares? "Dammit." Clove says, knowing that's an impossible feat to follow up. Cato just grins at me. "Good throw." He says, walking over toward the sword fighting station. Marvel and Glimmer convince me to join them at the spear throwing station, where we all learn I am completely worthless with the things. "These things are stupid." I huff in anger, throwing down a spear, stomping off to pout at a station with really weird knives. They have blades about a foot long, with a weird curve in them. "You would choose these!" Liz says walking up. "If you say anything about the spears I'm leaving." I say quickly, knowing she is planning a quip at my inability to use probably the second most common weapon found in any arena for the Games. "You remember what these are?" she said, ignoring me and picking up one of the Knives. "No, what?" I ask, curious. "Kukri. These are the knives you used in our hand to hand tournament in training. You beat three guys with these." She says with a laugh. "These are those things?" I said in shock. I hadn't paid much attention to the blades back then. She nods, handing me the knife, the kukri. It feels really good, comfortable. I grab a second one, then walk up to a training dummy, taking a few quick strikes. I like them. Quick, balanced, deadly. The curve puts some weight near the tip, making strikes hit harder. The trainer says they're great for utility reasons, good as a weapon, opening tins, cutting food, digging, cutting wood, and a long list of other things. I spin them around my palms, smirking as the careers watch the flourishing move. I put them away and head to the cafeteria, as trainings over.

Lunch passed without anything of note. Besides Glimmer hitting on me some more. It's getting pretty annoying at this point. I walk into the District Zero quarters to find Liz in a sparkling gold bikini, holding a towel in one hand. "Tonight is pull party night, go get changed!" She giggles. I'm wondering what's gotten into her, she's never this girly. I run up to my own room and throw on a pair of blue swim shorts with a few white flower patterns on them, and grab a towel. Then her and I are heading for the pool area. What we find is amazing. Its outback of the training center, a beautiful tropical like pool with tiki torches, a mini bar, and a DJ table for us to play some music. There's tables and the tanning recliner chairs. When we get there everyone's already arrived and congregated, drinks in their hands. Katniss and the tributes from district four are teaching some of the others how to swim, including Rue, Peeta, and Thresh. I lay my towel over a chair, and turn around to wolf whistles and cat calls from the career group. "What, no speedo?" Glimmer says, with a pouty face. "Na, I enjoy some modesty when I get to dress myself." I say. "You looked good in the speedo." Cato states matter of factly, then his eyes grew wide in shock at what he just said and he looks around. "We already knew you had the hots for Dante. I figured it out when you kept replaying scenes of the parade of him on the TV." Clove said with a grin and walked up to me, putting her hand on my chest and starting to softly trace the tattoo there. As Cato's blush slowly fades away I see him wink, then run up and grab Clove, throwing her (screaming hysterically now) into the water. "This is a pool party isn't it? We should all get in and enjoy it!" He said, grabbing me and throwing me in as well, then chased Liz, Marvel, and Glimmer in as well, and then he cannonballed in after us yelling random incomprehensible words. "Any one up for water polo?" I ask with a grin. We ended up with a little tournament of the game, and to make it more fun you had to team up with someone from another district. Clove and Glimmer started fighting over which one would get to be with me, but Peeta convinced Katniss to team up with me instead. Liz ended up with Cato, winking slyly at me as she climbed onto his shoulders. Katniss and I ended up losing in the second round to Marvel and the girl from district four, But in the end Cato and Liz took the win. Around what must have been midnight, we all said our goodbyes and headed off to our rooms. "So, what were you whispering into Cato's ear?" I ask Liz the moment we are in an elevator to our own rooms by ourselves. "Nothing. Don't expect me at breakfast, I've got plans." She said with an evil grin, then hurried off to her room. That grin was one of the few things on this planet that could scare me. And rightfully, I was bloody terrified now.


	7. Boys & Girls

**sorry for the wait! I'm in the midst of packing all my crap up to move to Florida! my flights on wednesday, so after it lands ill probably upload at least one or two more chapters, plus whatever I manage between then. Thanks for the reviews, keep em up! I love hearing from the readers. Anyway, i dont own the hunger games. Enjoy chapter 7!**

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><p>I woke up the next morning, grateful to have had a dreamless sleep. I dress quickly, going to grab as much food as my stomach will allow for breakfast, then head down to the training room. I walk over to the first aid station, where I see Rue learning about treating injuries. "Here, try wrapping the bandage like this. It saves material, and puts more pressure on a wound." I show her, and she smiles at me. "Thanks!" I smile back, then watch as the instructor tells all the uses for different medicines we might see in the Arena. After a while Rue gets bored, and grabs my hand, then drags me to the plants station. We start trading knowledge on which ones do what, and we end up with a list of herbs that can do just about everything the previous medicines could. We go to a few other stations, enjoying a few jokes about some of the other tributes. At lunch Rue trots off to go sit with Katniss and Peeta, and I make my way over to Liz and the careers.<p>

"So, you know what's on the agenda for today?" Clove asks as I walk up. "No clue." I shrug. "It's boys and girls night. All of the guys will be spending the night together in district two's room, and the girls will all be having our own party in district one's room." Clove says, ignoring Glimmer's insane joy at the idea. "We're going to give each other makeovers!" She cheers. "Thank god I'm not a girl." Cato mutters into his food, getting dirty looks from the girls and laughs from the guys. Cato keeps looking at me funny, and I don't know why, but I would be willing to bet my car back home that Liz is somehow involved, due in part to her walking into the training room with him this morning, and in part because she refuses to look at me for longer than a few seconds. "So, the girls are going to be doing makeovers and crap," I make a face at this point, "What are we going to do?" I ask the others assembled. "I say we play video games! And eat!" Marvel says, almost as happy about the thought as Glimmer is about makeovers. "I've got a few ideas, but we'll have to wait till we're out of ear shot of the girls." Cato says, a mischievous look in his eyes.

That afternoon I take the elevator to district two's quarters and enter quietly. Apparently I arrived a little early, because the only people in the room were the district two team.

"Cato, just do it!" Clove said in frustration. "No! I don't want to go into the Games with another person I won't want to kill." The blonde responded hotly. "Well if you and him put on a good show you wouldn't have to kill him. If the viewers like the relationship enough in the arena, they'll demand you both have the chance to get out alive. The Gamemakers always listen to the viewer's feedback on how they should tamper." A bubbly capitol voice said. I shiver, those accents are so obnoxious! "I'll think about it." He says, receiving exasperated sighs from the mentors, escort, and Clove. I step back into the elevator and make a loud noise coming out of it to alert everyone to my presence. "Am I early?" I say, looking at their team. "Well speak of the devil." Clove said under her breath, receiving a dirty look from Cato. "No, we were all just leaving." Enobaria says, leading everyone else out of the room. "So, what's your idea of what we can do for the night that doesn't sound as terrifying as makeovers?" I ask with a grin, sitting across from Cato. "you're going to have to wait for the others for that one." He replied, plastering a cocky grin over his face, but his eyes still showed he was stuck on his previous conversation.

Slowly the boy tributes made their way to the room, where the living room had been set up to house the thirteen guys in sleeping bags. "So, can we hear your idea now?" I ask impatiently, getting an eye roll from Cato. "Easy, we're going to prank the girls." He said. "How?" The boy from district seven asked. "Easy. Dante, Marvel, and Peeta will create a diversion, while Dylan, myself, and Mark," Cato started, indicating the boys from district four and six, "Will go and sabotage their stuff. Replace all of their makeup with some horrible looking forms of makeup Brutus gave me, put laxatives in their food, let loose a box of daddy long leg spiders I got my hands on, and hide a two way radio so we can listen to the chaos and add commentary." Cato smirked. "How are we supposed to distract them?" I ask.

Five minutes later, I hated this plan. Cato thought the best way for us to distract the girls was to walk in in nothing on and say we lost a bet, And we had to show off to the girls. The only one who seemed to be enjoying the idea was Marvel, whereas I was not looking forward to Glimmer's reaction, and Peeta was blushing profusely as we three were the only ones in the nude. Cato seemed to be enjoying it though, his eyes practically glued to me. "Looking's free, but anything else and I'll be expecting at least a three star meal." I said hotly, causing him to bust out laughing. "That can be arranged." Cato whispered, walking by and slapping my ass, laughing at my mortified face.

We walk into the district one quarters, Peeta and I blushing, Marvel grinning and walking around practically begging to be looked at. "Oh my gosh!" Clove said, jaw dropping at us. Katniss turned beet red when she saw Peeta, and quickly threw her hand in front of Rue's eyes. "YAY!" Glimmer cheered, bouncing off the walls while looking at us. I see the other three start on their sabotage, Cato winking at me before they disappear. "What's this for?" Clove asks, walking up and looking at us suspiciously. "We lost a bet." I grumble, not looking her in the eyes. Peeta nods an affirmation. "I just wanted to show off." Marvel said cockily. "Who cares Clove? We've got three attractive naked guys at our party!" Glimmer giggled. "Kill me now." I plead, looking over at Liz. "No way, this is to entertaining." Glimmer decides she's going to make the three of us dance for her before we can leave, which is horrible but gives the others time to sneak out. We get on our own elevator back up to Two, where we quickly redress to cheers from everyone else. We gather around our side of the radio, eating delicious snacks as we listen to the screams and cries of the girls on the other side, first as they find the makeup is turning their skin colors, then as the hundred or so spiders find their way to the living room, causing a mass panic below us, and then finally as they start eating and then run out of the radios range screaming about needing bathrooms. The boy from three wires the elevators to stop bringing people to our floor, so as to protect us from their wrath, and then we decide to get a wrestling/grappling tournament going. Going into the semifinals, it was Cato vs. Thresh and myself vs. Peeta. Peeta and Thresh both put up valiant fights, but in the end our training comes out and we pull the wins, putting Cato and myself against one another for the last round. We start, going back and forth for almost twenty minutes, one of us getting so close to causing the other the admit defeat, when they somehow manage to get out of it. In the end, it ends up with me on my knees in a kimura, Cato behind me laughing triumphantly. I somehow manage to flip around, out of the kimura, and wrap my legs around his head, cutting off his breathing and bringing him to the ground. He can't find a way out of my choke, and gives in. we got up and I went to go shake Cato's hand, to show good sportsmanship. He snarled, shoving me against the wall and holding me there by my collar. I tense all my muscles, prepared to fight him. But what he did next is something I never would have expected, least of all from him. He kissed me.

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><p><strong>There it is! finally kicking up the romance a bit. bwahahaha. ive already started working on the next chapter because this was so much fun to write lol.<strong>


	8. Bowling!

**Sorry for the cliff hanger and few day wait! was having problems with my move, and got my first tattoo! XD anyway, heres chapter 8, so far its the second longest chapter (7 being the longest.)Enjoy!**

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><p>Kato was kissing me. I was pinned against the wall by an insanely attractive guy who was going to be going into an Arena with me where we would all have to fight to the death for public entertainment. And. He. Was. Kissing ME! After the shock wore off, I listened to the irrational side of me for once, and kissed him back. His lips were soft but firm, and tasted like cherries and limes. After what seemed like an eternity, he pulled back and we both looked at each other, blushing and out of breath. We looked over to the rest of the guys, who were all playing some fighting video game on the TV, and seemingly enjoying the gruesome bloody finisher moves called fatalities.<p>

"How was your night?" I call cheerily to Liz as she shuffles into our room the next morning, obviously having suffered a sleepless night. "Spiders… clowns… bathroom…" She shivers, and I choke on my cereal in laughter. She gives me a dirty look and sits down. "How was your night? Besides the nudity. After we got rid of the spiders and stopped crapping our brains out, and before we realized the makeup had been tampered with," She gave me another dirty look before continuing, "Glimmer seemed quite excited about seeing you in all your glory." I blush, and then realize she's expecting an answer. "So, I think I'm going to have to get some of this stuff for Liam. I bet he'd love it." I remark, eating another spoonful of cereal and marshmallow pieces. "What happened? Why are you dodging the question?" Liz asked, looking me over suspiciously. "We played some video games, Cato kissed me after we had a grappling tournament and I won, ate a lot of food, guy stuff." I say as fast as I can, hoping she didn't hear the second thing. "WHAT!" She squealed, suddenly seeming bright and awake. She ran off towards the elevators, where I heard her squealing happily with another girl.

"Clove." I tell myself. Cato must have confided in her too. I finish up and head down to the training center. I pick up a bow and weigh it in my hands. I've had to use them quite often, so I would consider myself pretty good. I'm no perfect shot, at least not with such a primitive weapon, but I can get bull's-eyes pretty regularly on moving targets. I notch the first arrow, and fire, embedding it in the wall where the target was a few seconds before. "Good shot!" Cato says sarcastically, winking at me. I growl in frustration, and then notch two more arrows. I calm my breathing down and let loose. The first arrow hits a timed pop up target just to the left of the bull's-eye, and the second hits the moving target dead center. I hear some clapping from around the room, and look around to see the trainers and tributes all clapping except Cato, who looks shocked, And Peeta and Katniss. The latter of those two looks particularly angry, as if I would steal her thunder. _Is she good with a bow and hiding it from us? _I wonder, setting the bow down and walking away. There's a smacking noise simultaneous with a feeling in my bum, and I realize Cato slapped me on the ass. He grins at me as I turn my head to him, and I feel the burning in my face as the other careers burst into laughter. I walk over to Peeta and Katniss at the fire starting station and sit down. "So, you and Cato?" Peeta asks, starting a conversation. Katniss looks at him with a dirty look, and I blush profusely. "I-I honestly don't know. I mean, we're all supposed to be trying to kill one another soon, I don't think it'd be a good idea to start a relationship with someone on the "Need to kill to live" roster don't you think." Katniss looked triumphantly at Peeta, who diverted his eyes. We spent the rest of training in an awkward silence. "Bowling night!" Glimmer cheers excitedly as I sit down with the careers, and we all groan. "I hate bowling! My fingers get stuck in the balls." Marvel complained, shutting up when Glimmer shot an angry look his way. "Hey, Dante, can we talk?" Cato asked, standing up. "Crap. Relationship talk. RUN! RUN NOW!" My rational mind screams at me, but I don't. I get up and follow him up to the roof, where there's a beautiful garden.

"Wow." I say, looking out over the city. It's an amazing sight, designed for beauty instead of functionality like Zero. "Dante, I was wondering if you might want to go out with me." Cato asks, breaking me from my thoughts. "I like you Cato, I do. I wouldn't have kissed you back if I didn't. But I don't think it's a good idea to start anything when we have a week till we are in the arena, trying to kill each other." I say, looking down and dropping my shoulders. _Dammit! Why do I finally meet someone when I have to kill them! I hate my luck. _I think. "I thought the same thing. But the Gamemakers are saying this games going to have a huge twist that will leave everyone shocked. And everyone I've asked thinks that if we showed the capitol we were together and we made a good show for them, they'd let us both win." He says, practically pleading. "You think?" I ask, almost to myself. "No, I know." He says confidently, so much so that I believe him. "Alright. Then, yes." I say, smiling. Cato cheers, pumping his fist in the air, then grabs me and kisses me. "You know that means you owe me two dinners now." I joke when the kiss breaks. "Alright. Then let's get you to the bowling alley." He says, grabbing my hand and dragging me after him.

We arrive at the bowling alley, to find that everyone has already started their games besides the district twelve tributes. We join into their game, feeling extremely awkward after Katniss glares at both of us. "Is she always like this?" I whisper to Peeta when she's up. He grins, nodding his head quickly, making Cato and I laugh. After I throw a third gutter ball, I see Rue playing with guard rails preventing the problem. "I want those!" I say sitting down and pointing at the rails, then display a pouty face. "No way!" Katniss says, enjoying her lead over the rest of us. "Come on twelve. There are four frames left, even if he magically became great and got all strikes and spares he still wouldn't catch you." Cato says, putting his arm around my shoulder. "Great confidence boost right there." I mutter. Peeta laughs, and then abruptly stops as we hear a loud crash and someone yell a few profanities. We look over to see Marvel face first in his lane, the ball still attached to his fingers. This causes all of us, even scowl-a-lot Katniss, to burst into a fit of laughter. At the end of the night, I haven't even managed a score of fifty, and Cato walks me to my room. "I hate bowling." I mutter, which makes him chuckle. He turns me around and we start kissing, in the middle of the room. "Having fun you two?" I hear a voice and jump back, blushing like crazy. Ken is in the kitchen laughing at us, holding a drink in his hand. "Ken, don't you have sponsorships to be negotiating?" I ask angrily. "Nope. Sponsors are lining up for you already. The lookers always bring in sponsors. Huh big guy?" Ken asks Cato. The blonde is startled from his thoughts, and stutters, "Yeah-yeah I guess. Finnick did at least. Anyway G'night." He kissed me quickly, and then ran off. "I finally get a date after seventeen years, and you have to go and scare him off!" I yell at Ken in mock anger, throwing a pillow at him from the couch. The heavy thing knocks him over, causing me to laugh. "What the hell do they put in these things!" he yells, looking at the pillow. "I thought the same thing when Liz and Dubelia beat me with them." I laugh, walking into my room. I lie down and fall asleep thinking of the cute blonde from district two.

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><p><strong>So i hope you enjoyed this chapter! thanks for the alerts and reviews! the reviews totally make me happy and want to right more. Anyway, i tried writing this chapter at like two in the morning, but right before getting to the bowling scene my computer crashed and i lost the first right up = at that point i just got sad and went to sleep. ill try to get a second chapterr up before bed tonight, and ill have a few after my flight when i get to my new home! (thank god it has internet and cable already set up!)**


	9. Training and Scores

**Finally got the internet working! heres chapter 9!**

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><p><em>I walk down the halls. It's dark, and there are no doors. I hear screams in the distance. Screams of agony and sorrow. Of hate and rage. I start running towards the screaming, as fast as I can. There's manic laughter egging me on even more. I burst through the door and find an open field, sky black as night and grass red with blood. The bodies of the men and women I have slain scattered about, sightless eyes locked on me. Their families sobbing around them turn to me immediately when I appear, and start screaming for my blood. They chase me back through the halls, until they dead end and I'm unable to run away. Then the little girl comes forth, tears down her face and a knife in her hand. She throws it, and I know I'm dead.<em>

I wake up screaming, with Liz in my room yelling at me to wake up. "It's not real Dante! It's not real!" she screams. Slowly she calms down, and we make our way down to eat breakfast in silence. "Today's the private training sessions. What're you going to do?" Liz asks me. "I donno. Archery, hand to hand combat." I shrug. She nods, barely paying attention.

We go to the waiting room outside the training room, holding simple polite conversation with the other tributes as they walk in. "You're first, so you'll at least have a good audience." Cato says when he walks up, giving me a hug. "Yeah. But I have no idea what to do to show them I'm good." I say, as he pulls back and gives me a huge smile. "You'll do fine. They'll probably give you a good score if you take your clothes off." He whispers smugly. "Didn't you already get me to do that?" I scowl at him playfully. "That was for a prank, not personal reasons. But that will be next time." He says with a wink. "Who says there WILL be a next time?" I comment, smiling. Score. "I do. And I haven't been wrong yet." He says smugly right before they call for my training session. "Good luck!" everyone calls as I walk in for my training session.

That night we are all assembled around the TV as a group, waiting for our scores. First up is me. We watch as the number spins down. Twelve.

"TWELVE! HOW DID YOU MANAGE THAT!" Cato jumps up, angry. First twelve in seventy four years, and it wasn't to him. "I have no clue. I thought I completely botched the session." I admit. The TV moves on to Liz, who scored a twelve as well. She grabbed me and pulled me out of the room as Cato started ranting, in career mode. "I botched it too. Snow must have given the Gamemakers our debriefings from our missions. There's no way I could have gotten a twelve otherwise. I spent the whole session talking fashion and music with them." She whispers angrily. My eyes widen in shock. Snow wouldn't do that would he? It actually made sense. "Or he could have just said to give us twelve's. I doubt he would have given so many people access to our debriefings. That's way too many kills that aren't supposed to exist." I tell her. She nods, agreeing my theory is probably more likely. "No! No, no, no…" I whimper, bracing myself against the wall as the burning started coursing through my muscles. "Dante!" Liz whispered, looking around. She rushed to find something caffeine, coffee, anything. I whimper in pain, collapsing to the floor before the screaming starts. I'm slightly aware of the other tributes rushing in, wondering what's happening. Cato has picked me up, and is starting to try to take me to the infirmary. And then I blacked out.


	10. Revelations of Pain

**Chapter 10! this was fun to right. Reviews plz! i wanna know how you reacted to this section!**

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><p>Burning pain. That's the first thing I feel when I regain consciousness. It's distant, but there. The second thing I notice is I'm in the main room of our apartment for district Zero, and that all of the tributes are assembled. And the last thing is that Liz and Cato are bickering like school children. "He needs to go to the infirmary!" Cato snaps. "No, I already know what it is. I've given him what he needs, he'll be up any minute now." Liz said coolly. It seemed that District one, Clove, and district four were backing Cato, but everyone else was siding with Liz. "How long was I out?" I ask, gingerly sitting up and putting a hand to my head. I must have hit it when I fell. "A few hours. Cato has been biting at the chance to be explained what happened, to put his mind at ease." Liz asked, not looking away from the angry blonde. "Some of district Zeros' research leaves us…damaged. Our project left us with our random pain. Sears through our muscles and overloads our systems. It's easily fixed by caffeine, but it does come on randomly and unexpectedly. The tradeoff is our increased speed and strength, but the pain can overwhelm our bodies and kill us if left unchecked without caffeine." I say, keeping my eyes strictly locked with Cato's. His face betrays no emotion, but I see the horror in his eyes. But is it towards me, or towards what our project did to me. "So what exactly was your project supposed to do?" Marvel asks. I look at Liz. "You know they'd kill us for telling." She says simply. "I'll tell you all. But you have to promise never to let anyone else know." I say, waiting for all their promises. After everyone agrees, I tell them.<p>

"Project Ghost, our project, was designed to create weapons for the capitol. Weapons to be used against the other countries and any insurrections in Panem, to act as secret assassins to protect the way our world is." The faces are horrified. "You've killed before?" someone from district nine asks. I nod slowly. "You volunteered for that?" Peeta asks, horrified. "No. Not everyone volunteers for experiments. And not everyone is a researcher. A lot of us are test subjects. I was taken into the project when I was five. My dad tried to fight back, to prevent them from taking me…They killed him in front of me…" I whisper, dropping my head, tears blurring my vision. Suddenly there's an arm around me, pulling me into someone's warm, comforting body. I look up and see it's Cato. "What about your mother?" Clove asks eventually. "I've never been a fond person of killing people-" "It's a shame too. He's the best of our programs subjects." Liz interrupted, an unhappy look on her face. I scowl at her and continue, "Snow thought it'd be a good idea to have her taken when I was on an assignment, three years ago. I honestly think she's been killed because I don't ever hear anything from her." Clove looked horrified. "How many people have you killed?" Katniss asked, in a tone that said she was unsure of wanting an answer. "Seventy two. I only killed when absolutely necessary. Otherwise I just incapacitated. But I regret each one." I mumble. "Snow favored Dante, which is why I think we got twelve's. To make sure he gets sponsors and gets back." Liz said. Cato scowled deeply.

Slowly, the others drifted away to their own rooms, until it was just me and Cato. "You're horrified." I say, looking at him. "That they would do that to you, yes." He agrees, pulling me in and kissing me gently. "It just makes me want to protect you." He adds. I laugh. "The career tribute protecting the enhanced assassin. That's quite entertaining." I smile. "Yeah." He chuckles. We fall asleep there on the couch cuddled up together.

I awake on the couch, Cato holding me close. I had a good night's sleep. Not just dream free, but good. Cato actually made me at peace. Eventually he wakes up, kissing the top of my head. "This is a good way to wake up." He said sleepily. "You better get down to your room. They need to train us for interviews today." I chuckle.

The interview training went horrible. They kept trying to get me to make appeals to images that aren't me. I met Cato on the roof that night and we talked about the horrors of training. "MY escort tried to get me to play the innocent card." Cato laughed as we traded horror stories for the day. "Mine tried to play me for a barbaric monster from the moon. Said I should wear a loin cloth on stage and speak in clicking noises." I countered. "Come here." Cato said after a long silence. I got up and walked over to his lounge chair, where he grabbed me and pulled me down next to him. We spent the night just sitting there watching the stars, until we eventually fell asleep.

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><p><strong>Here we go! ill have 11 up sometime tomorrow, and it'll have the interviews. and a pretty big twist, you wont want to miss the next chapter!<strong>


	11. Twist of the Games

**Im sooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry for the wait! my computer caught a virus and crashed and wouldnt reboot and blarg! Finally got it fixed and everything. Heres chapter 11, more on the way! Please review!**

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><p>Cato and I are awoken to a large group of angry prep people. "You had us worried sick" "thought you had disappeared!" and several other remarks as they drag us away from one another. I spend the morning going through rigorous preparation to make me look attractive. "OW!" I howl as the last of my leg hair is ripped off. I can't stop thinking that their wax would make an effective torture form as they leave me to dress myself in the tuxedo they want me to wear. It's pretty simple. The material is black as night, and soft like silk. The tie is the same blue from my tattoo that now streaks my hair as well. The shirt is a simple plain white. The amazing part of the outfit doesn't reveal itself until I walk into the main room where Tralina is waiting. The tux starts to sparkle with twinkling lights, stars in the night sky of the material. Liz walks out dressed in stilettos and a similar skimpy dress. "Wow." I gasp, and she blushes. "Let's get going, there's supposed to be a huge announcement before the interviews." Ken says, dragging us to a large room off stage of where the interviews will take place. There's a large screen on one side of the room, and all the other Tributes are assembled across from that. Cato walks right up to me, smirk on his face, before he grabs me and plants a wet kiss. "Was that necessary?" I ask, blushing. "Yup." He chuckles with a wink. Clove shushes us as the screen lights up and Caesar Flickerman appears, talking to the head Gamemaker. "So, everyone is DIEING to find out what this big surprise is you have for the games. First a new district, and yet there's more? We ALL want to know what it is!" Flickerman says excitedly, to cheers of the crowds. "Well, President Snow decided that as a celebration event for the introduction of a new district to the Games, we would have a special system this time around. This year, instead of all of the tributes launching into the arena from below ground, to go and try to kill one another for victory, They will skydive into the arena, where this year the tributes will work TOGETHER to eliminate a group of two hundred engineered tribute warriors appearing as your favorite tributes from the old games! Whoever is left after the two hundred all are dead, or the last of our tributes standing, are the victors!" The head gamemaker said excitedly. "Wait? You brought back the dead favorites to fight again?" Caesar said excitedly. "Sadly no, the engineered tributes are simple primal creatures. They're lab created, just made to look like our favorite tributes from old games. They can't talk, or participate in higher functions, but they do love to bite and scratch, and have been taught how to use the weapons in the arena." The gamemaker said sadly. I look around, and see the shock on everyone's faces. We wouldn't have to kill one another after all! Just kill a few engineered animals that looked like people. That'd be a lot easier, plus we would be working together! I could get out of here with everyone else. There would be no killing Cato or Liz, no begging for mercy from other tributes. Cato looked terrified though. "What's wrong?" I whisper, as Caesar finishes his conversation with the Gamemaker. "Skydiving. I c-can't do it. I'm afraid of heights." He whispered. "I've done it before, it isn't as bad as you'd think. I'll make sure you get out of it." I whisper, kissing him before leading the way onto stage for the interviews. Liz was first, and she breezed through, appearing as an amazing and intelligent amazon queen. Then it's my turn.<p>

"So, Dante. How are you enjoying the capitol?" Caesar asks. "It's nice here. I'm digging some of the hair fashions. Though my legs aren't big fans of waxing." I say with a chuckle. The audience laughs and Caesar continues. "So, what do you think of the announcement that you will be sky diving into the arena?" Caesar asks. "No biggie. I've used parachutes before. We used them to jump off the skyscrapers in Zero. We were "testing" their safety." I say, air quoting with my hands the word testing. "And I bet you're real excited about the announcement that the tributes will be working together instead of against one another this year." He asked, a knowing gleam in his eyes. "Yeah, I wasn't looking forward to having to kill Liz. She's one of my best friends from back home." I say, looking to my left at her. "I don't think she was the only one you weren't looking forward to killing." Caesar said with a chuckle, and a large screen behind us flickered on, showing Cato and I's first kiss, and every kiss after that. I look over at Cato, and see he's blushing just as much as I think I am at the moment. The buzzer goes off, saving me from any more questions (To boos from the audience) but Caesar was all happy enough to send Cato through all the questions about our newly started relationship. I didn't think he would be able to get that red, but he did.

After all the interviews were done I met up with Cato in the elevator. "I can't believe they had it all on video." I say, mortified, as he puts an arm around me. "I know! Talk about invasion of privacy. At least they didn't show the scenes of you naked." Cato remarked. "Oh god! You don't think they'll have caught that? Or show it?" I ask. "Who knows? We'll have to get out to find out." He said with a smirk. "Just be glad they didn't catch what I WANTED to do on video." He whispered, winking and licking his lips. I shivered, which caused him to laugh, "Well, looks like we have one more week till we are in the arena." Cato says, before kissing me goodnight and walking off to his room. "One week, but now I don't have to kill real people." I whisper, heading off to bed myself.


End file.
